Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, faces retirement after a sex scandal. His career in Washington had already reached its peak. (CQ Roll Call)

Leadership be damned, Rep. Joe L. Barton thought. He knew he was right, and as soon as he was convinced of that, hardly anything in the world could move him.

Just a few months into his first term, the Texas Republican was angling for something between protest and revolution. House Democrats had voted to declare themselves the winner of a contested Indiana House race — in Republicans’ eyes, a theft. While his own party’s leadership urged restraint, Barton fumed.

The House GOP leadership team, from left, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., arrive for the House Republican Conference meeting in the basement of the Capitol as Speaker Paul D. Ryan announced he would not run for re-election, but would stay on as speaker until the end of the term. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Paul D. Ryan said he plans to remain speaker of the House through the end of the year when he plans to retire and indicated he will eventually endorse someone to succeed him.

“I have great confidence in this leadership team. That’s one thing that I’m really proud of,” Ryan said when asked who he thought should be the next speaker.

Sen. John McCain paid tribute to his fellow Arizona Republican and “dear friend” Sen. Jeff Flake on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon, shortly after Flake announced he would not be running for re-election.

“I have seen Jeff Flake stand up for what he believes in, knowing full well that there would be a political price to pay,” McCain said.

The former House speaker, whose resignation from Congress became effective over the weekend, is taking advantage of little-known perks and privileges taxpayers provide by law to those vacating the chamber's highest office. Boehner is setting up a government-funded office that may have as many as three aides with salaries of more than $100,000 each.